Biopsy knife for cutting a conical specimen



June 27, 1967 J. J. DE MARCO BIOPSY KNIFE FOR CUTTING A CONICAL SPECIMENFIGQ Original Filed NOV. 20, 1962 INVENTOR.

JOHN J. D2 NFIRCO Maw United States Patent 3,327.702 BIOPSY KNIFE FORCUTTING A CUNICAL SPECIMEN John J. De Marco, 1840 S. Shore Drive, Erie,Pa. 16505 Original application Nov. 20, 1962, Ser. No. 238,977, now

Patent No. 3,256,874, dated June 21, 1966. Divided and this applicationMar. 24, 1966, Ser. No. 538,187

1 Claim. (Cl. 12S2) This application is a division of patent applicationSer. No. 238,977, filed Nov. 20, 1962, now patent 3,256,874.

The present invention relates to a tracheotome and, more particularly,to a biopsy knife for obtaining biopsies of the cervix of the uterus ofhuman females.

The use of the normal straight scalpel or knife for obtaining biopsiesof the cervix of the uterus has many disadvantages. Because of thelocation and approach to the cervix of the uterus, it is difiicult toproperly position a straight scalpel to obtain a biopsy. Also, greatcare must be taken that the cut is not too deep, for a hemorrhage may becaused. Thus, it is a difficult task to make a biopsy cut of uniformdepth of representative tissue with a straight scalpel, particularlywhen operating on the cervix of the uterus through the small restrictedarea of the vagma.

In the use of biopsy knives presently available, it is necessary for asurgeon to cut half of the conical biopsy from the cervix of the uterusand then to change the position of his body in order to move his arm tothe proper position for cutting the other half of the conical biopsy.This makes it inconvenient for the surgeon and, also, since his body isin an inconvenient position, lends the possibility of his making anerror in the cut.

The present invention provides a knife handle which will hold anyregular knife blade at each end. It holds the blade at approximately athirty degree angle which automatically excises a cone of the cervix asit incises. This degree of angulation makes the instrument moremaneuverable than a straight handle in the restricted space of thevaginal canal.

By having a blade at an angle at each end which goes in a differentdirection, the entire three hundred sixty degrees of the cervix isreadily incised to yield a smooth, intact conical biopsy. One end of thehandle with blade will easily incise one entire half of the cervix and,by changing to the outer end, the remaining half of the cervix islikewise incised, thereby obtaining the intact, smooth conical biopsy ofthe cervix. The handle is easily held in the middle by the surgeon andit permits the use of either end at either time by simply alternatingone end or the other.

It is, accordingly, an object of the present invention to provide animproved biopsy knife.

Another object of the invention is to provide a biopsy knife which isshaped to permit ease of insertion and manipulation in the cervix of theuterus.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a biopsy knife whichcuts a specimen of a definite continuous conical shape from the uteruswith a minimum of movement of the operating surgeons body.

Still a further object of the invention is to provide a biopsy knifehaving a blade on each end thereof.

Still yet a further object of the invention is to provide a biopsy knifewhich is simple in construction, economical to manufacture, and simpleand efiicient to use.

With the above and other objects in view, the present invention consistsof the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fullydescribed, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and moreparticularly pointed out in the appended claim, it being understood thatchanges may be made in the form, size, proportions, and minor details ofconstruction without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of theadvantages of the invention.

In the drawings:

FIG. .1 is a side view of a single edged blade according to theinvention;

FIG. 2 shows the blade mounted on a two ended handle such as shown in'FIGS. 5 and 6'.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged partial view of the handle without the bladethereon;

FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 shows a double ended handle having both ends similar to the endshown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a side view of the handle shown in FIG. 5;

Now referring more particularly to the drawings, the embodiment of theinvention incorporates the same type of knife holder on both ends of asingle handle. A handle 12 has a knife receiving end indicated at 14.The principal of the embodiment of the handle shown in FIG. 5 and 6 isdouble ended for use with a single edged blade.

The knife receiving ends 14 are of a conventional type except that theyare disposed at an improved angle to the handle 12 at approximatelythirty degrees. Prior handles have held their blades at a considerablygreater or a considerably lesser angle for one reason or another.

A conventional groove 18 is received in an opening or hole 26 in theblade. That is, an enlarged portion 27 of the end 14 slips through anenlarged part 22 of the opening 26 and the material of the end 14defining the groove 18 overlies the marginal portions defining theenlarged portion 27 of the opening. A shoulder 29 then rests against theinside of the enlarged part of the openmg i The knife receiving end 14is disposed at an angle of approximately thirty degrees to the handle12. It has been discovered that an angle of approximately thirty degreesis a much more natural angle at which the knife may be held for a biopsyon the cervix and, therefore, a more precise operation can be performed.

The knife receiving end 14 has a shoulder 24 which rests against an end28 of the knife 36. The knife 36 has a single sharpened edge 23 and theopposite side thereof is dull. The dull edge is generally parallel tothe center line of the handle and the sharpened or cutting edge isapproximately thirty degrees to the center of the handle. This angulararrangement has been discovered to facilitate the use of the knife forthe purpose intended as set forth herein.

The blades each have a point as indicated in the drawings. The doubleended handle shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 has a knife on each end. With thisdouble ended knife, a surgeon may out half of the conical biopsy fromthe cervical canal of the uterus and then he may reverse the knife andcut the other other half of the conical biopsy without putting his bodyin an inconvenient and off balanced position for this operation.Therefore, the two knives on opposite ends of the biopsy knife cooperateto accomplish a unitary result in cutting a single biopsy without havingthe surgeon unbalance and inconvenience his position which might resultin injury to the patient.

The foregoing specification sets forth the invention in its preferredpractical forms but the structure shown is capable of modificationwithin a range of equivalents without departing from the invention whichis to be understood is broadly novel as is commensurate with theappended claim.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property orprivilege is claimed are defined as follows:

A biopsy knife for cutting a conical shaped biopsy spec- 3 imen from thewalls of the cervix comprising a handle,

a first thin blade supporting tip extending from a first end of saidhandle and,

a second blade supporting tip attached to a second end of said handle, 1

a first thin blade removably attached to said first blade supporting tipfor cutting one-half of a biopsy specimen,

a second thin blade removably attached to said second blade supportingtip for cutting a second half of a biopsy specimen,

said blades having cutting edges,

said cutting edges being disposed on opposite sides of said handle fromeach other when blades are mounted on the handle,

said blades each being disposed in a separate plane from the other,

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 401,421 4/1889 Dus 30299 931,6128/1909 Huttmann 30-299 2,471,088 5/ 1949 Ayre 128-404 2,898,906 8/1959Sieger 128-2 3,013,553 12/1961 Averbach 1282 RICHARD A. GAUDET, PrimaryExaminer.

W. E. KAMM, Assistant Examiner.

